GAINESVILLE, Fla. - After a disappointing DNQ at the season opener in Bradenton, Fla., NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster driver Jason Cannon is ready to bounce back at this weekend's NHRA Division 2 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at his home track, Gainesville Raceway. The Caps Coach & Trailer/InsideTopAlcohol.com team plans to test prior to the event to get more of a handle on the new 98% nitro rule.

Cannon, who helps operate Caps Marine Center with his father Phil just down the road in Middleburg, Fla., won this event last year. Much has changed for the team since last year. The team has switched from the Blown Alcohol Dragster combination they successfully campaigned for three and a half years to the injected-nitro A/Fuel combination at the end of last year. Just when the team was starting to learn the new combination, NHRA reduced the amount of nitro the team can run from 100% to 98%. Along with the rules changes, the team made some engine changes per the instructions of engine builder/fuel system specialist Tom Conway. Cannon hopes testing on Thursday will give them a run on the weekend.

"My work schedule just didn't allow us to test before Bradenton," stated Cannon. "It's hard enough to do everything you have to do over the offseason, and then they scheduled the Bradenton event a month earlier than we usually start. That race is behind us, I'm just focusing on this weekend. We're starting to get a handle on it. We're not lost, we just got a little behind. We'll be fine."

Team Crew Chief Will Hanna feels it is just a matter of getting runs down the track.

"We had a lot of new stuff going on in Bradenton," explained Hanna. "It was our first race on 98%, we had some changes in the motor department, and it was our first time period to run this A/Fuel car on a non-national event track. With a couple of runs under our belt, and hopefully some pre race testing on Thursday, we should be good to go."

In addition to getting ready to bounce back, this race is a 'home game' for the team being just 45 minutes from their home town. Team owner Phil Cannon hopes his team can put on a good showing for their home town fans.

"Jason started bracket racing here when he was 16," cited Cannon. "He's made a lot of runs down this track. We always enjoy racing here because a lot of family and friends that normally don't get to go to the races with us will be there. It was great winning the event in front of them last year; we hope we can do the same this year."

Qualifying begins on Saturday with two sessions for the alcohol cars. Final eliminations will conclude the event on Sunday. Stay tuned to InsideTopAlcohol.com for the latest news in alcohol racing.

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